Malaysian Leader Forced to Defend Hawaii Golf With Obama
Some question the appropriateness, since the country faces floods that have forced thousands of people from their homes.
The Hill has this item on how Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak caught flak for golfing with President Barack Obama in Hawaii. Excerpt:
Razak golfed with Obama in Hawaii on Wednesday, triggering an outcry in Malaysia, which is contending with floods that have forced more than 100,000 people from their homes.
Obama himself often comes under criticism from opponents for his frequent golf outings, but now most of the scrutiny is on his golfing companion, the prime minister.
After touring the flooded areas on Saturday, Najib said at a news conference that golfing with Obama was “golf diplomacy,” according to state news agency Bernama.
Obama travelled to Malaysia in April, and Najib said the golf outing was long planned. …
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
“Every day when I was there, I received the latest report on the flood situation,” he added. “As it became more serious, I decided to return to the country as soon as possible and went directly to Kota Baharu [the affected region]. I have not even returned home yet. …”
The Hill reports that Najib cut short his trip on Friday to return to Malaysia “amid headlines such as the Malaysia Chronicle’s ‘Stop Playing Golf, Najib,’ which appeared above images of the flooding and of Najib on the golf course with Obama.”
